


A fountain of mirth and tears

by Himring



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Inspired by Music, Olorin - Freeform, arda marred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21532441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himring/pseuds/Himring
Summary: Nienna talks to Olorin about Arda Marred
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38
Collections: Tolkien100





	A fountain of mirth and tears

**Author's Note:**

> The title alludes to this quotation from Lord of the Rings:
> 
> "Pippin glanced in some wonder at the face now close beside his own, for the sound of that laugh had been gay and merry. Yet in the wizard's face he saw at first only lines of care and sorrow; though as he looked more intently he perceived that under all there was a great joy: a fountain of mirth enough to set a kingdom laughing, were it to gush forth."

‘They do not always consider what it means, what is said about me,’ said Nienna to Olorin, ‘that as the Music unfolded, my song turned to lamentation before its end.’  
  
She saw he was listening intently and continued: ‘I saw it take shape before my eyes, Arda Marred, and, more than any of the others, I entered in it knowingly and willingly. I grieve, but I chose that grief. And thus I am less different from Nessa than I seem. I weep, she dances. You may find in the end it comes to much the same thing: laughter and tears.’

**Author's Note:**

> (A reminder to prevent possible confusion: Olorin is Gandalf; it is the name he went under when he was Nienna's student.)
> 
> This was inspired by Vienna Teng's song "Shine" and its lyrics ("this broken world we choose").
> 
> 100 words according to MS Word.


End file.
